HomeMade will have much less competition in D.C. than in Chicago, one of the most competitive pizza markets in the country, he says.

The company is able to distinguish itself from supermarket frozen pizzas or delivery competitors by marketing its use of fresh ingredients, Mr. Tristano says.

HomeMade offers traditional pizza toppings as well as chicken sausage, fontinella cheese, wild mushrooms and poblano peppers. The company makes its dough from scratch.

"We have always made the food the focal point of our store," says Mr. Fosse, who says the goal was to offer high-quality, pizzeria-style pizza with the convenience of carryout.

Mr. Tristano says the chain's biggest challenge is to convince customers that it's convenient to pick up a pizza and cook it at home rather than have one delivered. The pizzas cost between $11 and $18 and take about 10 minutes to cook. Mr. Fosse says the company's model allows customers to cook the pizza when they are ready to eat.

Mr. Fosse hopes to emulate the success of Chicago-based Potbelly Sandwich Works, which has kept its menu simple and grown to more than 200 restaurants in 13 states.